Conveyer



(No Model.)

0. W. HUNT.

GONVEYEB. v No. 466,039. Patented Dec. 29, 1891.

'nngggnm 1 m wax ' NITE STATES ATENT FFICE.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,039, datel December29, 1891.

Application filed June 5, 1891. Serial No. 395,196. (No model.)

with rollers running upon tracks so that the chains can be used to carrythe buckets up inclined tracks or rails and along to the place ofdelivery, and in apparatus of this character the pivot-pins of thechains have in some instances formed the axles upon which thesupporting-wheels revolve; but as such axles have projected beyond thechain the weight of the buckets has tended to bend and break theseaxles, especially at the upper part of an inclined track, because inturning the curve from the inclined to the horizontal portion the pullof the chain, as the weight hangs nearly vertical, is taken almostentirely upon the pairs of rollers or wheels as they pass from theinclined to the horizontal portion of the track. Hence such shaftsrequire to be large and strong to prevent being bent or broken. In mypresent improvements there are four times as many wheels as buckets, anddouble chains are provided so as to come at each side of each wheel,whereby the weight of the buckets as drawn up the incline does not actwith a leverage to bend the shafts where the wheels support such weight.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the saidimprovements. Fig. 2 is an elevation. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views,and Fig. 5 a plan view representing variations in the manner of hangingthe buckets.

The buckets A are of suitable form and dimensions, and these buckets arepivoted at B upon opposite sides of their centers, and the chains 0 areendless and double-linked at each side of the buckets, and the wheelsDare between the links of each chain, and such wheels D run upon thetracks E, and such tracks may be horizontal or inclined more or less,and such tracks may be supported in any suitable manner and the chainmoved.

along progressively, as illustrated .in my patent, No. 425,798, grantedApril 15, 1890, and the material may be supplied to the buckets in anysuitable way, an illustration of which may be found in my patent, No.442,976.

In an application of like date herewith I have represented the links ofthe chain as extending from one cross shaft or axle to the other and thepivots of the buckets applied at the centers of such links. The presentinvention relates especially to the features of construction hereinafterset forth, whereby the links are divided, so that the pivots of thelinks form the axles of the wheels and the alternate ones come in linewith the pivots of the buckets or nearly so.

In carrying out my invention the wheels D are upon the cross-shaft F,between one bucket and the next, and such cross-shaft F also forms thepivots for the links 2 and 3 and axles for the wheels D, the range oflinks 2 coming outside of the wheels D and the range of links 3 cominginside of such wheels D, and the links are sufficiently short to beunited at or near the pivots B,.upon which the buckets A swing, and suchpivots B are also the axles or in line with the axles of thesupporting-wheels D, and it is preferable to unite the links 2 and 3 ineach chain by studs or cross bolts or rivets at 4, passing throughtubular washers, so that the links are firmly held in their properrelative positions in pairs. It is now to be understood that inconsequence of the links being only half the length of either bucket thejoints are sufficiently numerous to allow the chain to conform easily tothe curvature in the track between a horizontal or nearly horizontalportion and inclined or nearly vertical portion of such track, and thewheels of the endless chain travel upon such track with greaterfacility, and each bucket is supported directly by its pair of wheels D,thereby lessening the weight and strain upon the crossshafts F. Thepivots for the bucketsA may be separate from but in line with the pivotsor axles of the wheels D, in order that the buckets may hang verticallywithout any tendency to swing the buckets by the turning action of thewheels D as they revolve upon the track.

In Fig. 3 I have represented the axle or pivot B as passing through thelinks 2 and 3 iug upon the projecting pivots 9.

of the chain, and through the wheel D and into a pivot-block 7, fastenedupon the bucket and provided with keys or cross'pins, so that such axleB will be prevented from rotating, and the wheel D will be free torotate around the same, and the pivot-block 7 and bucket will swingfreely upon the inner ends of such pivot-pins 6.

In Fig. 4: I have represented the axle (3 as passing through the links 2and 3 of the chain and through the wheel D and fastened at itsrespective ends, and the pivot9 is provided with a base fastened to oneside of the link 3 and projecting through the pivotblock 7 upon thebucket A. In this instance it is important that the links 2 and 3 of theendless chains should be connected together, so as not to be distortedby the weight hang- It will be apparent that the links may be unequal inlength, as represented in the plan View, Fig. 5, in which the axis 10 ofthe Wheel D is not in line with the pivot 11 of the bucket, such pivotof the bucket projecting from theinner side of the inner longer link. Inother respects the construction and mode of operation corresponds to theforegoing description.

In my application Serial No. 395,1971 have represented double chains ateach side of the buckets, the links being longer than the buckets, sothat the axles of the chain-links cross between the buckets.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination,withtheconveyer-buckets andtheir supporting pivots, Wheels, and axles, of two chains, each chainhaving links that are connected to each other alternately by the axlesand by the pivots, forming the pins of the chain, the links havingbearings at both sides of each wheel, substantially as specified. V

2. Thecoinbination,\vithlheconvcycr-buckets and their supporting wheelsand axles, of links connecting the respective axles and having bearingsat both sides of each wheel, and pivots for the buckets. there beingaxles between the buckets and axles in line with the pivots of thebuckets, substantially as set forth.

3. 'lhecoinbination,Withtheconveycr-buckets and their supporting wheelsand axles, of links connecting the respective axles and having bearingsat both sides of each wheel, and pivots separate from the axles, saidpivots being in line with each alternate pair of supporting-wheels,substantially as set forth.

at. Thecoinbin ation,\viththeconveyer-buckets and their supportingwheels and axles, of links connecting the respective axles and havingbearings at both sides of each wheel, there being four pairs of linksand their wheels for each bucket, and pivots for the buckets separatefrom the axles and 0011- nected with the links of the chain,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the track, the pivotal conveyer-buckets andtheir supporting wheels and axles, of links connected together in pairsand having bearings at each side of each Wheel, the alternate axlesextending across between the buckets and the intermediate axles being inline with the pivots of the buckets, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 2d day of June, 1801.

CHAS. \V. HUNT. lVitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, \VILLIAM G. Mora.

